This invention is in the field of accessories for mining machines.
Many mining machines are employed in mines of low ceiling height and narrow entries, which results in difficult headlight locations for the apparatus. Severe damage and destruction of lights results when low roof obstructions or side wall obstructions are encountered. Such damage may result in an electrical short and, therefore, arcing, which would result in an explosion if methane gas were present. Damage is most severe in the case of scoop machines used in these environments. These machines are heavy articulated steerable units of low profile and with scoop buckets mounted on the front. The bucket is pivoted for limited vertical tilting movement to load and unload the material. Usually a blade in the bucket is pushed horizontally forwardly to push gathered material from the bucket. It is common practice to mount a headlight behind the bucket directed through the back of the scoop and through a hole in the blade. With this system, however, no light is available in front of the machine when the bucket is loaded with material.